‘Irish Water’ conman tried to rob 92-year-old of €3.5k

Three elderly people in Kerry are still living in fear after a scam artist, claiming to work for Irish Water, made cash demands on behalf of the utility.

In one case, a 92-year-old woman from Tralee was driven to a bank to withdraw €3,500, with a warning of a demand for a further €500 if cash was not given on the spot.

Patrick O’Brien, aged 32, from Convent Rd, Abbeyfeale, Co Limerick, had used a small white van when he targeted his victims, all living alone, in January 2014.

At the circuit court in Tralee, Judge Thomas O’Donnell said O’Brien’s despicable crimes went beyond the theft of money.

“It involves the violation of homes, and [is a] blow to independence,” said Judge O’Donnell. “It is quite clear the accused and his comrades singled out elderly, vulnerable people and cajoled them with a lie.”

With O’Brien already serving a prison sentence, Judge O’Donnell said he would not rush into making a decision and adjourned sentencing to December.

O’Brien had pleaded guilty to three counts of deception, trespass, and theft of cash.

Brian McInerney, defending, said O’Brien’s behaviour was “disgraceful” but it was not the actions of someone with any “great brain power”. It was stupid, said Mr McInerney, to pretend to be from Irish Water, a utility that found it difficult to extract money from the Irish people. No violence had been involved, he said.

Tom Rice, prosecuting, said O’Brien had “no work history”. O’Brien also had “a considerable number” of offences for dishonesty and 34 previous convictions in a variety of locations.

O’Brien’s victims included a 92-year-old woman who was brought to the bank by O’Brien. He fled before gardaí arrived.

Mr Rice said the woman had been completely taken in by O’Brien’s “ruse”. However, a bank clerk alerted a manager about the planned €3,500 withdrawal.

Detective Garda Joe Ryan later tracked down O’Brien through footprints found at the woman’s house.

O’Brien had accomplices in one of the crimes, in which the money was “divvied up”, the court heard.

Det Garda Ryan said the three elderly people have “all lived in fear” since.

Mr McInerney, meanwhile, said his client had a gambling addiction but was turning his life around. He handed in a testimonial from a supervisor of the kitchen at Portlaoise Prison, where O’Brien was working while in custody.